BIC writing teacher recognized with English Language Arts Award

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Jae Glass assists her student with his Chromebook assignment.

JONESBORO -- English teacher Jae Glass of Manila has been awarded the Early English Language Arts Educator Award in the state of Arkansas from the Arkansas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (ACTELA). Jae has been teaching writing in Leachville at Buffalo Island Central for four years.

She does much more in her professional career as an English Language Arts educator than teach. She organizes special programs and clubs like "Literacy Night" and "Readers are Leaders" for her school, community and students. She was on her school's Common Core State Standards Alignment Team and also serves on the Buffalo Island Central Leadership Team.

Additionally, she is an active state mentor for new teachers. Beyond that, she is a National Writing Project fellow through the Arkansas Delta Writing Project at Arkansas State University. She is the recipient of multiple grants for teaching projects, is a state-funded National Board Certified Teacher candidate and has presented in several professional forums. In her summers, she volunteers her time to facilitate a one-week Writing Camp for Young Authors in her school district.

Glass earned her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Arkansas State University in 2011, with an emphasis in middle level teaching of English language arts and social studies. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, which is the mother organization of the Arkansas Council of Teachers of ELA (ACTELA) who provided this award.

Glass is the first recipient of this Early Educator of ELA award in the state. She well meets the criteria for this award, which includes advancing and nurturing a love for learning, for reading and for writing through specific school events, as well as practicing teacher leadership. She will receive a free one-year membership to ACTELA and mentoring for publication and presentation opportunities. She will be recognized at the Arkansas Curriculum Conference on Nov. 5 in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (ACTELA) provides this award and other initiatives to support English teachers across the state. President Dixie Keyes, associate professor of education at Arkansas State, said, "We are proud of Jae for her many accomplishments as an outstanding ELA educator in Arkansas. ACTELA wants to recognize exemplary educators early in their careers and provide them with a network of professional support and encouragement. I can't wait to see Jae continue her pathway in professional leadership. Just as our national level organization, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), provides quality professional networking, ACTELA does that at the state level."

ACTELA offers additional initiatives for teachers in Arkansas. Find out more at www.actela.org or contact Dr. Dixie Keyes at dkeyes@astate.edu for more information.